Friday, November 13, 2009

Our Lady of Lourdes, Bushwick


Our Lady of Lourdes parish, located along Broadway between Bushwick and East New York, has been combined with the parish of St. Martin of Tours. The building on DeSales Place in the above photo seems to be the former rectory, whose office is now located at St. Martin of Tours, 1288 Hancock St, Brooklyn, NY 11221, telephone 718-443-8484. The photo is taken from the window of a westbound J train between the Broadway Junction and Chauncey Street stations. 
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The bulletin of the combined parishes a few years ago said that Mass is offered Monday to Friday at the convent of the Missionaries of Charity, 34 Aberdeen Street, telephone 718-443-2868. (I cannot confirm this in 2017.)  Sunday at 11 a.m. a bi-lingual Mass is offered at 89 Furman Avenue.
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For an excellent capsule history of the parish, please see McNamara's Blog, linked here. The parish of St. Francis de Sales was established in 1872 and renamed Our Lady of Lourdes in 1897. For many decades, it was staffed by the Fathers of Mercy, a missionary and preaching congregation. That may be one reason for the the large size of the rectory.
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As of 1.5.2017, I'm uncertain about the accuracy of the above description of the property. Please note this Brownstoner article dated 1.4.2017 on the construction of 63 affordable apartments in the convent.
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Another article in the Brownstoner dated 1.21.2019, brings us up to date. The link is HERE. Much of the property was sold for apartments. The school, however, is now rented to a charter school. The Missionaries of Charity are not mentioned.


Thursday, November 12, 2009

Blessed Sacrament, Euclid Avenue, Cypress Hills

As one rides the J train from Jamaica to the Williamsburg Bridge, so many steeples are seen that it is difficult to name them. The train crosses an invisible border from Queens to Brooklyn and stops at Crescent Street, Brooklyn, on an old section of the Fulton Street el. This photo of Blessed Sacrament parish is taken from the train platform.
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The mailing address for Blessed Sacrament parish is 198 Euclid Ave., Brooklyn NY 11208, telephone 718-827-1200. The parish website is linked HERE.
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The parish school is at 187 Euclid Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11208. The school telephone is 718-235-4863.  Its website is linked here.

The parish school is accredited by the Middle States Association (Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools).




I note the trilingual sign above: Latin, English, Spanish.



Clicking on any photo will enlarge it.

Is that St. Francis at the rectory door?


"Our church is open all day. Venid y adoremos." As I have observed at other unlocked churches in Brooklyn, worshipers visit the church often. I have seldom found an empty church.
The parish bulletin is one of the friendliest and most welcoming that I have seen.

This 1891 cornerstone may have been removed from the old church when the present church was dedicated in 1912.  Please see the helpful narrative of parish history linked here.  Also see the excellent account given here on McNamara's blog.
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Please note that there is a link to Comments at the top of this post.  A new and much appreciated comment was received 2.13.2011.
Please note this admirable website, the East New York Project, with pages and pages of photos and commentary, found by using the zone tabs across the top.